Of Gaps and Blades
by Nintendo-Spider151
Summary: The Fifth Holy Grail War has taken an interesting turn. Out of all the Heroic Spirits that usually participate in it on multiple worlds, only one is present and with a different class. The rest have been replaced, but it will not make this version of the War any less interesting... only maybe, how to say it? a bit crazier. Rated T just for safety.
**Yeah, yeah, I know this idea of "Servants from different franchises" has been done thousands of times and this will neither be the last, but still, I wanted to share one of my own.**

* * *

 _This isn't happening, this just can't be happening._

That's what was inside the mind of a certain Shirou Emiya as he made his way through the school corridors at late hours. One hour ago, he was moping the Archery Club by Shinji's request (or better said, taken advantage of), next he knew there were two figures at the schoolyard fighting. They weren't human, such proficiency and speed in combat is impossible to achieve even for an athlete that has reached their body limits. Not to mention one of them spawned what seemed balls of light to shoot at its opponent, so he thought for a moment that might be a magus, but seeing it survive to the other… thing, Shirou doubted even the most highly trained stood much of a chance.

Unfortunately that's when they spotted him.

The smaller of the two suddenly ditched the encounter in favor of following him, it didn't take a genius to know it wanted to kill him. Logically, he ran. He then stopped for a moment to take a breath and look back, no one was there, asking himself if he was able to return home now.

Grave mistake.

The next moment he felt his chest being impaled by something, a kitchen knife piercing his heart, being hold by what seemed to be a girl with a neutral expression. The thing in form of a human then retrieved the knife, job done, she suddenly vanished with no trace left, leaving a dying Shirou on the ground.

 _Is this really my end…? No, I need to become a hero… Kiritsugu, I'm sorry._

He was barely conscious to hear footsteps approaching him.

"No… why…? Don't…!"

"Late… leave him"

"No…! Save him!"

* * *

He woke up in the same hallway. How much time passed since that thing stabbed him? That wasn't important, what did matter was that what happened to him was real. He had blood in his school uniform and his shirt being ripped where his heart is served as enough proof. He also found a red pendant that he didn't carry before, coming to the conclusion that someone saved him.

It was pitiful, to him at least. Shirou knew he was a broken person, an empty shell not worth saving, but a 3rd opportunity at life was something that he couldn't waste.

* * *

"Judging from your character, I didn't thought you would really help that man"

"I just had to do it. He was just an innocent bystander, he didn't deserve such a fate" were the words that one Rin Tohsaka said to her Servant, before sipping some tea "Archer, could you find Assassin?"

"Negative. I may be stronger than her in combat, but she's quite a sneaky fellow. She evaded many of my attacks, admittedly I went a bit easy, but still impressive. Her Presence Concealment must also be of a high rank, I couldn't trace her either"

"Not even with your gaps?"

"No. But perhaps I could place some familiars in the city to search for her, as well as the other Servants"

Rin took mental note of everything the woman said. The night before, she did summon her Servant, while she wouldn't say anything to the Fake Priest, she was glad that he insisted her to summon a Servant on time. It made her remember how the clocks of her house were all one hour backwards, allowing her to actually do the ritual right.

The summon was a success, but instead of getting the Saber that she much desired, she got stuck with the Archer class. What was weird was the appearance of her Servant, a blonde purple-eyed woman in a dress that matched her eyes, wearing a mob hat with a thin red ribbon, she didn't seem to carry a bow, or really anything indicative of her class. Unless her fan or parasol shoot bullets. But somehow… she felt that she was a fairly powerful individual that she could work with.

She was cooperative as well, giving her identity without hesitation and following orders. Mostly, when she didn't want to sleep, that is.

"Still, are you sure saving that man was worth it?

"What do you mean?"

"You know the rules of the Grail War. It's very secretive, anyone who might see us Servants in battle…"

"Oh God…" Rin said in realization "Are you implying that…?"

"Yes, Assassin might go and finish the job"

* * *

Shirou didn't care for the time at which he arrived at home. Though seeing that Sakura and Taiga weren't there, he deduced it must be very late. Whatever, he needed time to think.

His day was fairly normal, but then he saw two creatures dragged towards each other's blood, he was spotted by them and chased until one of them killed him. Then someone arrived at his side and saved him.

What were they? What were they doing at school? Are innocent lives in danger? These and more questions were flooding his thoughts, but got interrupted once he sensed someone with dangerous intentions entering his residence through the Bounded Field.

He wasted no time and grabbed a poster Taiga left.

"Trace on"

There, though no match to the creature, at least it would provide him with some defense, which as expected, was needed as the next moment a blow was directed at him and barely blocked it.

He finally took a good look at his attacker, it was the same girl that killed him before. While he couldn't decipher her age, she was wearing a pink sweater with a checkered pattern on the chest area, a purple skirt and red shoes. Her brown hair was tied in braids and her face, like he remembered, was neutral with her eyes shut. Honestly, she looked like a normal girl, but Shirou knew she was not normal in any sense.

"Why do you want to kill me?" he didn't get his answer as the girl kept trying to thrust her knife into him while he blocked all her efforts.

It couldn't last forever, sadly, as the poster already many cracks on it "You're not going to answer then…" Shirou then ran across the backyard, desperately trying to get into the shed he calls a workshop, maybe inside he could find something to help him. But just when he took one step in, he felt a great degree of pain in his arm and saw the knife digging his skin.

The girl then retrieved her knife and pushed him to the ground, ready to make the final blow.

 _No, having another opportunity at life taken away…_ He did a glare to the girl, whose expression remained the same _But… that's right, I still have to become a hero, Kiritsugu's dream_ without both knowing, a circle began to glow while a red light appeared on Shirou's hand _And if that means having to fight people like her_

A flash suddenly enveloped the shed, actually surprising Assassin.

"I WILL LIVE!"

As it faded, Assassin found herself blocking a sword, the impact actually sending her some feet back. Shirou meanwhile, was speechless, somehow he was saved again by a new presence. His life was saved twice in the same day.

Shirou then looked at his savior that turned to him, it was a tanned man with white hair and silver eyes that looked around on his thirties, or at least on his late twenties. He wore black armor and a red shroud and also held on his hands a duo of Chinese twin swords. The man then spoke his first words since his arrival.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! OUT OF ALL PEOPLE IN THE PLANET TO SUMMON ME IT HAD TO BE YOU?!"

* * *

Regrets? Counter-Guardian EMIYA had a big one: ever contracting with Alaya. Had he known of the hell that awaited him… he was sure he would've accepted anyway. All because of that childish ideal of saving everyone, which didn't even belong to him, for starters.

The one he hates the most has to be himself, accepting so recklessly and killing the millions he once wanted to save. He specially hates his younger self, clinging to that ideal of becoming a hero of justice.

Which is why, out of all people that could've summoned him as a Servant, it disgusted him to see Shirou Emiya becoming his Master.

"You know what? We'll talk about this later" He said as he went outside the shed to see the Servant he had to fight.

Instead of the Cú Chulainn he expected, it was a girl with a knife, Assassin most likely. That was weird, but there wasn't time to think that as he rushed to her.

* * *

While her expression didn't show it, Assassin was annoyed. She just intended to scout the city as her Master ordered to. Then, however, she had to feel the presence of another Master, and she had to have the brilliant idea of trying to hit two birds in a shot.

What she didn't take in mind, however, was that maybe, just maybe, Archer would be overpowered. She barely managed to dodge her, as Archer called it, bullet hell. And she was somehow sure that wasn't even a small fragment of her power.

She was actually grateful that idiot interrupted the fight, she would have died if not. Unfortunately due to the War rules she couldn't let him live, so at least trying to be a bit grateful, she made his death quick and as painless as possible.

But then somehow the idiot revived. OK, no problem, she could solve this. Then the boy resulted to be a magus, OK, he looked like a mediocre one, nothing to worry about. Then the guy summoned a Servant. And not any Servant, but judging by the blades he carried, he was a Saber.

So it was either plan A, retreat, or plan B, fight weakened against Saber and die doing so.

Seemed Saber opted for plan B, as she was suddenly blocked a blow, but dual wielding swords meant she had to take extra care. Should she use her other Noble Phantasms? No, what if that gave them her identity.

"Not much of a talker"

Was Saber taunting her? While distracted, Saber took the opportunity to slash her, Assassin jumped, but the hit did connect and now she had a wound on her stomach.

"What's someone like you doing here at night? Good girls should be sleeping. Return home, and I won't tell your parents"

She was reconsidering her thoughts on her Noble Phantasms. Before she could make a final decision, she heard the voice of her Master call her.

 _Assassin, return now._

Well, Master is a fan of plan A. Like so, she decided to finally open her mouth to call on her Noble Phantasm.

"Witch"

The knife she held disappeared and in a flash and her clothes were replaced by a witch costume, she hoped on the broom and flied away.

* * *

Shirou still looked at the scene in disbelief. Whatever that girl was, the man actually could handle her, even if in the end she escaped, still…

"Now that we have that out of the way…" the man, who he could sense was the same as that girl, pointed one of his swords at him.

"What is your problem?"

"What a way to address the one that saved you"

"Yes, that got invalidated the moment you pointed your sword at me"

"And you think you can take on me?"

Before more tensions could rise up, both sensed an incoming danger and looked at the sky, Archer floating above with what seemed to be a rain of kunais ready to fall on them.

"Rho Aias!"

* * *

 **So I pretty much wrote this out of frustration in my computer and telephone being garbage making me unable to play Fate/Grand Order… right on Shiki's event. *Sigh* Still, don't worry my Lily, David, Cú, Ushiwakamaru, Medea, Jekyll and Kiyohime, I don't care if you are 3*! And in Lily's case one of the lowest 4*, I still love you guys and will find a way to come back!**

… ***Ahem* Sorry about that. Anyway, don't expect this to have regular updates… if any. Still, thanks for reading.**

 **Nintendo-Spider, out.**


End file.
